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Birth of the cruel

A few years back when America started to flex her atrophied muscles in regards to the Middle East, the late Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran coined the nickname; “The Great Satan” to describe the U.S. government, and it’s people. I was confused and appalled by this double standard because what race or group could be more Satanic than these mentally challenged and spiritually polluted schizophrenics that were being coerced on a daily basis into believing that strapping explosives onto their bodies in the name of Allah and blowing up innocent men, women and children would punch their ticket into heaven?

Now let’s address the alleged child molestation charges that were recently leveled at ex-Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky as well as the conspiracy to conceal his activities by several Penn State officials. At this point defining them as ‘Great Satans’ might be too kind and a tad understated, especially if the charges turn out to be true.

America has become a nation of double and opposite standards. We have an obesity problem, yet for a small fee we can “supersize” our regular meal into a “big meal.” The Slimfast sits right next to the snack isle in the grocery store.

The core of the Catholic church has been devastated and decimated by a few rogue priests who took a vows of celibacy while harboring and hiding dark obsessions with and sexual addictions to pre-adolescent boys’.

Football is the ultimate “Man Up” sport, yet you have perverted and dark spirited men with an insatiable hunger and desire for innocent flesh of the same gender. We have entrusted the psyches and souls of our young men to these predators. These fraudulent individuals stroll into our homes; break bread with us and our children look us straight in the eye and promise us that if we allow our children to attend their institutions of “higher learning” and perform for them that they will be stewards of righteousness and shield and protect our children from all hurt, harm and danger. But you know what? They lied and lied and lied, yesterday, today and they will lie again tomorrow because it is just their nature to do so.

Boys and girls, herein is the supreme sucker punch. According to a story in The Patriot-News; “Sandusky retired from his assistant coaching position in 1999, but retained coach “emeritus” status and access to Penn State facilities. Upon his retirement, he chose to take a $148,271 lump-sum pension payment, the paper reported. The remainder of his pension is paid out monthly and totals $58,898 annually.” The story goes on to say that: “Former Penn State VP Gary Schultz, who has been charged with perjury and failing to report suspected child abuse, retired in 2009 but returned in September on a temporary basis. He received a $421,847 lump-sum payment in 2009 and now receives a monthly pension payment of $27,558. Schultz’s monthly payments amount to nearly $331,000 a year.”

The behavior exposed at Penn State is just an indicator of far bigger problems; one being greed, the other the desire to win at all costs. Morals and values have long since evaporated. The only component that is being honored is the bottom line. To truly honor the alleged victims of these life staining crimes, the contest between Nebraska and Penn State should have been cancelled and forfeited. The “keeper of the bank vault” the NCAA has been eerily quiet. They nitpick, suspend and sanction schools with regularity and vigor based on mundane and frivolous activities by young and misled student athletes, yet when it comes to grave situations such as this, the cat grabs their tongues. NCAA President Mark Emmert had this to say. “[These]” allegations are gut-wrenching. This is a story that’s not about sports, per se, but about somebody allegedly taking a position of power and trust and using it to abuse children. That’s about as disgusting behavior as we have in our society.

When Penn State and Nebraska took the field to pray as a pre-game gesture of unity prior to the game, I was appalled. There was no moment of silence for the safe return of former DA Ray Gricar who tried and failed to prosecute Sandusky in 1998. He has not been seen or heard from since 2005 and was declared legally dead in July, 2011. Gricar disappeared after telling his girlfriend he was going for a drive. His body was never found, only his abandoned car and his laptop tossed in the Susquehanna River minus its hard drive. Is it possible there are a few “real” skeletons in Penn State’s closet aside from the alleged child rape and child molestation charges?

(Aubrey Bruce can be reached at: abruce@newpittsburghcourier.com or 412.583.5741. He can be heard on ‘The Odd Couple’ sports show Wednesdays from 11-11:30am on WCWA1230 AM Fox Sports Radio, Toledo, Ohio.)